Personal Trainer (certificate)

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Official Title of Certificate: Personal Trainer, Certificate

Award: Certificate

Code: CRT.HEA.PER-TRAIN

Total Credit Hours: 17

Learn more about the Personal Trainer Certificate Program

Purpose: The certificate is designed to provide a background in basic exercise principles, health screening, fitness assessments, nutrition, behavior change, communication and exercise program design within the current fitness industry standards. Hands-on experience will be integrated into the program.

A certificate in Personal Training provides students with the competencies necessary to become an effective entry-level professional. The curriculum provides coursework and experience that prepares the student to sit for many nationally recognized personal trainer and health coach certifications.

This certificate will provide the foundation of courses for those interested in advancing to receive an Associate of Science Degree in Health, Fitness and Exercise Studies at Anne Arundel Community College.

Additional Certificate Requirements

Completion of the required courses with a grade of C or better in each course.

Range of Occupations

Personal trainer
Fitness specialist for corporate, commercial, private, municipal and community facilities
Health coach

Certificate Graduation Requirements

To graduate with a certificate, students must have demonstrated eligibility for ENG 101 or ENG 101A . Refer to Academic Regulations on Graduation Requirements .

Planning Tool: One-Year Sequence of Courses

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Certificate Requirements: 17 credits

Course Requirements

HEA 100 - Assessment and Theory of Fitness and Health 3 credit hours
HEA 101 - Foundations of Health, Exercise and Sport 3 credit hours
HEA 138 - Nutrition for Fitness and Sport 1 credit hour OR
BIO 138 - Nutrition for Fitness and Sport 1 credit hour
OR
HEA 137 - Weight Management: Utilizing Healthy Approaches to Diet and Physical Activity 1 credit hour OR
BIO 137 - Weight Management: Utilizing Healthy Approaches to Diet and Physical Activity 1 credit hour
HEA 150 - Advanced First Aid, CPR and AED 3 credit hours
HEA 230 - Personal Trainer Fundamentals 4 credit hours

Program Electives: 3 credits

BIO 135 - Principles of Nutrition 3 credit hours
OR
ESI 103 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship 3 credit hours
OR
HEA 231 - Health Coach 3 credit hours
OR
HEA 295 - Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries 3 credit hours
OR
SPT 232 - Sport Psychology 3 credit hours

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

Design and instruct an individualized exercise programs for healthy adults and special populations.
Apply national fitness and nutritional guidelines in order to customize behavior-change programs based on client needs.
Apply legal and ethical issues and professional responsibilities within their scope of practice.
Demonstrate basic injury prevention techniques.
Perform first aid and basic life support procedures when appropriate.
Assess cardiorespiratory capacity, muscular strength, muscular endurance fitness, flexibility and body composition.

This program aligns with the college’s core competencies.

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